Justine Goes Home to be with Jesus!

Mike and the girls have taken our Awaken to Love team up to Murchison Falls for a 2 day safari. I stayed back to welcome another volunteer who is arriving late tonight. I am really enjoying spending some time alone here at Field of Dreams. Thinking of all the interns and other teams planning to come in the next few months, it might be my only time I will EVER get to be alone here, so I am going to breathe it all in.

While the team is gone, I have been pondering so much that has happened. I guess the emotions of some things don’t really come up until you actually take some time to uncap your heart and let them out. (thus the blog)

The days of the week all seem much the same here (at least to me). Other than having a few specific outreaches that happen on certain days, there isn’t anything to really decipher each day. Back in America, we have TV shows or school things to pave the way for our week. It seems here though, you don’t strive to reach the weekend so you can rest or have fun, because most of our “work” is done then. We are still figuring out how to take time off and find some time to rest. It can be challenging with so many needing your help and input on things.

With that said, I can’t remember the actual day the following happened; I just know it was a little over a week ago. One of the orphans we had been helping passed away. Her name is Justine and she was only about 7 years old. She had been sick with the measles. (We don't even have to battle this disease in America anymore and there is a way to prevent it!!!)

 We have a nurse on our team who was consistently checking on her and giving her medicine to help with her fever. We also took her food and juice to help. Actually as I type it seems it was a Sunday evening. The nurse had visited Justine that morning after church, but that evening we got a call to let us know Justine had died. 

As I received the news, I couldn’t believe it. I had just seen her the day before. I wasn’t sure whether to cry or yell. Suddenly, asking Mike what we should do, I said, should we go pray for her to be raised back to life. Honestly, I don’t know where the thought suddenly came from, but it came and we did just that. We took a few other of our friends from our church back home and headed over. When we arrived, her body was still hot from fever. 

The children were all crying hysterically as well as the family and neighbors. As we cleared the room, we knelt down by her delicate little body and began to pray. I don’t know how much time passed, but suddenly there was a peace that truly surpasses all understanding that enveloped the room. Right then, I had a picture in my mind (I could see it even though my eyes were open) of Justine running down the dirt road toward Jesus. She looked back at me with her precious smile. I too was on the road. She turned around and ran back to me into my arms. She hugged me BIG and said “thank you for all you have done” in perfect English and then began sprinting back into the arms Jesus. 

Was this real? Am I making this up? As the emotions flood back and tears roll down my cheeks, I can promise you this wasn’t some made up moment. I don’t think you can make up things as powerful as this in the midst of death, faith, tragedy, peace, contending, and letting go. I knew then, she was with Jesus.

You would think I would have broken down and began to cry, but instead, I had a peace and strength to get up off the floor (while the rest of my team continued to pray and worship Jesus), walk out to the back of the house and sit on a log with the rest of the family. 

As the sun began to set and darkness arose around us all, I marveled that here I was in Uganda. I felt so honored and humbled as I sat under the stars and hugged the family who had a dear child leave them to go home to their Father in heaven. 

As I loved on the children, Margaret, the care giver to some of our SMI orphans, shared her last conversation with Justine. As they sat on the couch, Margaret was holding one of her newborn twins, Phoebe. She looked at Phoebe and then over to Justine. Phoebe was Margaret’s first biological daughter, but in that moment, she told Justine, now, she had two girls; Justine and Phoebe. Justine smiled up at her “momma” Margaret. It was about 1 hour later, Justine breathed her last breath.

(Here is something my good friend Jeanne shared with me back in February about little Justine:

"I was singing Jesus loves me this I know to the kids and then I asked them to sing a song for me and she is the only one that sang. She sang I have joy,joy,joy down in my heart, where down in my heart,  and I'm so very happy so very happy I have the love of Jesus in my heart. It was so cute, she touched my heart.)

My good friend Jeanne with Justine and Zaitum

It wasn’t until the next day that the “what if’s” hit me. What if we had our medical clinic opened already, would Justine still be here? What if I had been more of a voice and had raised more funds for our clinic? What if more nurses or doctors were here with us now, would we have saved this life? What if What if What if! 

Time is a gift from God. Life is a gift from God. Today is a gift from God. We obviously can’t focus on what we could have done, because that won’t change anything for today. We can focus on what we will do, because that is where change awaits us all! So, if you are reading this, will you pray with us as we continue to press on to complete the many things SMI has to do. We need help in every area you can think of. With God all things are possible, but HE always works through people.

It’s weird how changing the continent you live on can begin to change you. When I say change you, I mean, perspective and realization of the actions necessary to help others.

I am thankful to be here to help and serve. My body is getting used to the bumpy roads and my feet will learn to love hard concrete floors and dirt roads (right?). I think we need a masseuse (uh, maybe my Auntie G) to come on a trip. I am sure many missionaries could use your gifts and talents. 

One last thing. For some reason the scriptures I hear read every Sunday are like life breathed into my being. When a Psalm is read, something inside of me comes alive and says - IT'S TRUE! I guess it’s because here, the answers aren’t so readily found. I guess I've taken the words I've heard for so many years for granted, but now, they give me life and hope. You have to seek HIM with all your heart and THEN, well, you get the point. Life is different here, but I still find that Love is the same. We are all looking for LOVE and longing to discover the way it can bring about life...including me.

Lori

Fun times in Uganda!

Wow! So much has been going on since we last posted something on our blog.

Our Awaken to Love team arrived on Tuesday July 17^th. Not one person of the 13 people arriving received any of their luggage! Can you believe that!!!

I’ll have to say though, that every team member has been a trooper. We finally retrieved all of their bags this past Monday.

We love the makeup of our team. It is so much fun getting to know people from different backgrounds and with different life experiences.

Here are a few of the things we have been doing together as a team:

• Visiting and helping the elderly who live around Field of Dreams
• Hosting a “Field Day” at the Muslim school down the road from our house
• Working at SMI’s “Say No to Hunger” program
• Visiting the children in Show Mercy’s sponsorship program
• Painting bedrooms at Hope Children’s Home
• Sharing in different Churches
• Praying for patients at a mental hospital
• Delivering beds for some of the children in SMI’s sponsorship program.

As parents, it is always so much fun to see more of who your own children are. We have really enjoyed watching Sarah and Katelin blossom while the team is here. 

We also can’t express how much we appreciate every prayer you are praying for us. Leading a team is so rewarding but also challenging as you feel you are pouring out all you have! I (Lori) am physically tired, but know the finish line with this team is just around the bend.

I know this is so general, but we’ll update with more detailed stories of our outreaches soon. 

Sarah with Alex!

The kids love Mike because he is so tall and full of fun

Muslim school field day. Egg race!

Katelin, Sarah, Julee and Kacey hanging out

Katelin reaching out in love

Katelin out in the village

kids at a school praying for our time together. Aren't they CUTE!!

Mike teaching the kids how to play duck duck goose!

Field Day at the Muslim School

New Triple Bunk Beds, Sheets and Net for some of the village sponsored kids

Potato Sack Race

Some miscellaneous pics of our team

Thanks for your love,

Lori (for the Salley clan)

You Are One of a Kind

Uganda has been such an amazing tool used by the Lord to teach me many things. Each day I spend here, I am given an opportunity to see something new and unique. Of course I can choose to see things the same way they were yesterday, but if I am intentional, I will find something new.

In economics, the value of something is determined by how rare it is. For example, diamonds are expensive because no two diamonds in this world are the same. The same is true of people. We were each designed by God with such a unique flavor and no two people are exactly the same. No one has the same fingerprint as you do! We are valuable.

I was reminded of this truth one day while driving down the roads in Uganda. Each shop has a display of the items they have for sale. The shop vendors hang their prized clothing outside of their shop (as well as other things), so those passing by can “window” shop. (Of course there isn’t a pane of glass!). Rarely are the clothes displayed brand new. Most of the clothing here in Uganda comes from other countries and is second hand. It is very rare that you find two outfits exactly alike.

 In the United States, when you go shopping, you will find racks and racks of the same exact outfit. The only difference is the size. It is really kind of funny if you think of it. Most people shop at department stores. These stores are scattered all across the USA. We find an outfit or a pair of shoes that we love. We don’t really think that thousands of other people have also seen the same shoe/outfit and are also in love with it. That means we are walking in the same shoes and wearing the same outfit as thousands of others. It’s a great picture if you think about it. 

In America, we all strive to look a similar way, but don’t realize it. Because of convenience, this is just a way of life. (and I'm not saying it's wrong, but just a great observation of what blessing can sometimes create - a dissatisfaction and lack of contentment at times - or better yet, maybe a distraction from real value!) We sometimes compare ourselves to "our neighbor". We want what they have. We want to look like so and so and aren't satisfied with who we are (or at least can feel that way sometimes). A Hollywood star wears a certain dress and then we all want to look just like them! How easily we are influenced by the material beauty :)

Uganda has a way of waking you up to remember that YOU are not what you look like on the outside. You can’t really choose to “look” like anyone else. You can’t buy the same shoes or the same outfit as your friends here, because you CAN NOT find it!

Uganda helps you to discover you. It helps you to discover the beauty within. It helps you discover the beauty in others as well, because here, you don’t say to someone who is sitting in rags on a woven straw rug within the dirt, "Wow, your outfit is amazing. Where did you find it?" Instead, you look into their eyes and see their joy and smile exuding from their being and realize, Wow, you’ve got a beauty that can’t be purchased or created by a person. You are You and I love it!

Loving Uganda,

Lori

Can't Think of a Creative Title...so Salley Update will have to do!

Wow! It's been a while since we last posted an update. We have been really busy getting our house set up and getting the food thing worked out. There isn't any "fast" food here, so if you don't plan ahead, well, you don't really eat!

An Amazing "Art" piece by Auntie Britt

The girls and I (Brittany is considered one of "the girls") have been making fresh bread, banana muffins, banana bread, guacamole (from large avocados that are only 6 for 50 cents), homemade chicken pot pie (homemade pie crust in a 9x13 pan along with fresh carrots, peas and green beans from the market - no canned stuff for this family), grilled hamburgers (minus the cheese :( ) and a variety of other things. We have some staff who have also been helping out with some yummy rolex (chapati (tortilla) with garlic, onion, cabbage, and fried egg), vegetable stir fry, and of course beans and rice. (I know some of you have been dying to know what we are eating :). We are also eating a ton of fresh fruits - mangoes, passion fruit, bananas, and watermelon.

Directors House at Field of Dreams - Where we live right now!

Salley Girls Need a Sponsor :)

Mike and Lori at Hope Children's Home

We've been enjoying sleeping under a net every night too! It seems so cozy to put the net down over your bed every night. I am happy to report the mosquitoes are not bad. We do have some friendly lizards, wasps, orchestra of crickets, a few hornets, bats and birds galore - but it is Uganda after all.

SMI Uganda "office" - what a view!

Our Amazing Field of Dreams Sunset

Brittany working from her new "office"

Yummo Nanners and Amazing Avocados

Lauryn and Lori

Our Evening Meal at the Salley House

Last Sunday we went to visit another church across town. Of course we arrived on African time, so we had to walk in after the service had started. We now have two new SMI team members with us - Natalie and Kristiana, so there are 7 of us in all. We really enjoyed it and plan to return this Sunday.

Salley girls with our new puppy Zeek

After church we went to visit some German shepherd puppies and decided to bring one home. His name is Zeek! He is really good and so smart. Sarah is in charge of his care. We plan to get a female soon and Katelin will work with her.

She accepted Jesus! Yeah!!

We've been out to the village quite a few times as well as to visit Hope. Yesterday we went to visit Shamila who is in our sponsorship program. She is a total orphan living with her aunt and is HIV positive. We are trying to figure out how we can supplement her meals, so she gets more nutrition and can stay healthy. While there I was talking to her aunt about life. She shared with me that she is a muslim and married, but never sees her husband. Come to find out, she is the first of four wives. While I was talking to her I could see the sadness in her eyes. I could feel the rejection in her heart with every beat. This is when I shared my faith in Jesus with her. It was so easy for me to share how amazing and faithful Jesus is. He doesn't reject us or leave us. I can testify to this personally and I felt so alive sharing my love for HIM! She decided to receive Jesus during our talk. I am so excited to see what God does in her life. I can't wait to worship in church next to her. We are family in Jesus now.

Ok, I think that is enough for now. I'll try to post more updates soon. Less than 2 weeks we will have our Awaken to Love team here, so we are preparing and planning for their visit.  Next blog I'll show you pictures of a beautiful wooden crib I purchased from the side of the road for an amazing family who just had twins. Not only do they have 6 children of their own, but they are caring for 6-7 other children as well! They are inspirational to say the least...and they always have a smile on their face.

Margaret and George

A big thank you to everyone who has sown financially as well as to those who pray for our family. We couldn't do this without you. We've had an amazing peace as an entire family as we are transitioning to a new way of living.

Lori (and Mike, Sarah, Katelin, Maggie and Zeek)